Central Valley and Foothill Birds

Snow Geese landing at Gray Lodge - Anser caerulescens

In the winter I love to visit Gray Lodge, as well as several areas in the foothills.  It's nice to get out of the snow, and go down to where the grass is green!  I love bird watching in the lower elevations.  I often see birds that visit our neighborhood in the spring, and once in a while I'll see a bird I've never seen before! The weather has been sunny and in the 50's during the day this past week.  Just perfect for being outside all day!

 There are thousands of Snow Geese that migrate down from the arctic to spend the winter at Gray Lodge! If you visit Gray Lodge, you'll notice that the geese aren't feeding! They mainly roost there during the day, and leave at dusk to forage at night in the surrounding wetlands and agricultural fields of California's Central Valley. I never tire of watching thousands of them circle and land in the wetlands, calling to each other the whole time.  Such grace and beauty!

Blue-winged Teal (2 males - female) - Spatula discors

There are also thousands of ducks overwintering at Gray Lodge. Most of them are dabbling ducks, which mainly breed in the north central part of the U.S. and the prairie-pothole region of Canada and Alaska. The following information on their feeding habits is from thespruce.com.

"A dabbling duck is a type of shallow water duck that feeds primarily along the surface of the water or by tipping headfirst into the water to graze on aquatic plants, vegetation, larvae, and insects. These ducks are infrequent divers and are usually found in small ponds, rivers, and other shallow waterways, or else they may stay near the shallow, slower edges of larger waterways and swamps.

Surface Feeding: This involves skimming along the surface of the water with the neck stretched out and the bill parallel to the water. The bill is quickly "chewing" or "nibbling" at the water with little bites, and the duck may sweep its head from side to side at the same time to cover more surface area. This is an efficient way to feed on small aquatic insects that stay on the water's surface or to forage through floating algae and plants. While dabbling ducks do use this technique, many other types of ducks and other waterfowl also use surface feeding.

Tipping Up: This type of feeding is true dabbling, tipping up with the duck's butt out of the water and pointing the tail straight up as the head and neck are below the water to nibble through mud or algae. When tipped up, the duck may wag or spread its feet and legs to keep balanced, or the tail may slowly wave or wag to counterbalance the underwater head movements. Underwater, the duck is stretching to reach either the bottom or may be feeding along submerged plants. This type of feeding is very characteristic and common among all dabblers.

Dabbling ducks also forage on land for seeds, grains, nuts, and insects, grazing with similar nibbling bill motions as surface feeding. These are often omnivorous birds, and will sample a wide range of foods through their different feeding styles."

 Green-winged Teal (female - male) - Anas crecca

Male ducks molt from their eclipse plumage (resembles female plumage) to their colorful breeding plumage between late summer and early winter. Right now most of the males have completely molted and are absolutely gorgeous!  The name "green-winged" comes from the bright green color of the bottom half of their wings, which is visible only when the wings are outstretched.  Which I have yet to see!  Green-winged Teals are the smallest dabbling duck in North America, with a length of 14", and a weight of 12 oz.  In comparison, a Mallard has a length of 23", and a weight of 2.4 lbs!

Cinnamon Teal (male - female) - Spatula cyanoptera

The Cinnamon Teal breeds in freshwater or brackish wetlands in the northwestern half of the U.S., not in the prairie-pothole region of Canada.  The males have such stunning plumage!

Northern Pintail (female - male) - Spatula cyanoptera

Northern Pintails may stay year-round in the Central Valley of California, or they may migrate to breed in the prairie-pothole region of Canada and Alaska. The males are so elegantly feathered!

Northern Shoveler (female - male) - Spatula cyanoptera

The bills of Northern Shovelers have finely spaced projections (lamaellae) around their inner edge, which are used to filter tiny invertebrates out of the water.

They also eat molluscs, crustaceans, seeds and plants. They too breed in the prairie-pothole regions of Canada and Alaska.

Gadwall (female - male) - Mareca strepera

Gadwalls are monogamous during a breeding season.  97% of the females are paired up with males by November, 4-5 months before they breed in the prairie pothole region of Canada and Alaska!

Greater White-fronted Geese - Anser albifrons

You will also see lots of Greater White-fronted Geese at Gray Lodge. These large geese breed in Northern Canada and Alaska. They can be easily identified by their size, pink bill, and white feather patch on their forehead. Although they don't mate for life, Greater White-fronted Geese form long-term pair bonds and stay together year-round. Pairs are often accompanied by their young for the first year or more, and the young often help their parents defend the nest.

Black-necked Stilts - Himantopus mexicanus

There are a variety of shorebirds at Gray Lodge.  This year we mainly saw Black-necked Stilts. The following information is from https://www.birds.cornell.edu.

"Stilts hold the avian record for the longest legs relative to body size. From on high, the Black-necked Stilt uses its excellent vision to scan mudflats for small invertebrate prey. Stilts also feel for prey by sweeping their sensitive bills through the water. In the presence of predators, stilts quickly flock together as one intimidating black-and-white mass. This defense strategy is so effective that birds of other species often try to join the flock."

Red-tailed Hawk (juvenile) - Red-shouldered Hawk (juvenile)

 Buteo jamaicensis - Buteo lineatus

We saw lots of perched raptors at Gray Lodge, mainly Red-tailed Hawks and Red-shouldered Hawks.  Waterfowl must be good to eat and fairly easy to catch!

Turkey Vulture (adult) - Cathartes aura

There are always lots of Turkey Vultures at Gray Lodge.  Being carrion eaters, they must subsist on leftovers from raptor (and perhaps fox) kills. 

 

Great Egret (adult) - Belted Kingfisher (male) 

Ardea alba - Megaceryle alcyon

Egrets aren't numerous, but are definitely part of Gray Lodge.  They cruise the shallow waters with their long legs, looking for crustaceans, dragonflies, damselflies, frogs, tadpoles, and insects to eat.

We saw a pair of Belted Kingfishers chasing each other, and rattling away their loud calls.  Made me wonder if it's breeding season for them. I'll have to do some research!

 

Sutter Buttes Sunset

We left as the sun was setting over a dark bank of clouds that was enveloping the Sutter Buttes!  Such beauty!  Can't wait to go back again!

For those of you who'd like to go to Gray Lodge the best days to sightsee are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.  On Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, there are duck hunters hunting in the area and it is my opinion that the sound of their distant guns is unpleasant. 

Joubert's Diggins 1/13/22 

Local Ponds!

I've been stopping by two of the local ponds I usually visit in the winter and have been pleasantly surprised by what I've seen!   The pond above was totally frozen recently, but is thawing out now with the warmer weather.

Buffleheads (4 females - 2 males) - Bucephala albeola

To my delight I've seen some male and female Bufflehead Ducks almost every time I stop and look.  They are probably using the pond for a winter residence, as they normally breed up in the Lakes Basin.  They are diving ducks, not dabbling ducks, and dive down in the pond to feed on molluscs, amphipods, snails, clams, and the seeds of pond weeds and bulrushes.

Hooded Merganser (female) - Lophodytes cucullatus

The Charles Marsh Pond in Nevada City currently has only one female Hooded Merganser in residence.  I hope more join her soon!  Her glorious wedge of head feathers is amazing, and she is so camouflaged in the pond weeds and their reflections!

Cedar Waxwings (adults) - Bombycilla cedrorum

Just beyond the Charles Marsh Pond I spotted a flock of birds in a distant tree.  I was thrilled when I zoomed in with my camera and realized that it was a group of 13 Cedar Waxwings!  WOW!  The most I've ever seen together!  The reason why they were there is obvious in the blurred background...several trees filled with persimmons!  How lucky I was to spot these fruit-eating beauties!

Pine Siskin (adult) -  Spinus pinus

Wandering in Grass Valley

Last week I had to get some car repairs done and had an hour or so to kill in Grass Valley.  So I wandered in an industrial park area near my mechanic to see what I could see.  Luckily there was lots of vegetation between the buildings and birds were plentiful!

Right away, I came across a flock of Pine Siskins feeding in the seedpods of a non-native tree species.  Yay!  These tiny birds are irruptive in their habits, and in winter can be found anywhere seeds are available.  

California Scrub-Jay (adult) - Western Bluebird (female)

 Aphelocoma californica - Sialia mexicana

I also came across some typical foothill year-round residents, such as the California Scrub-Jay, and a female Western Bluebird. Just lovely!

Downy Woodpecker (female) - California Towhee (adult)

Dryobates pubescens - Pipilo crissalis

I also came across birds that frequent my neighborhood, like the Pine Siskins, such as the Downy Woodpecker and the California Towhee.

  

California Quail (female - male) - Callipepla californica

The most surprising sighting was a female California Quail!  Wow!  I  have never seen one before!  In our neighborhood we usually have Mountain Quail.  However, last summer and fall there were two male California Quail in our neighborhood, but I never saw any females!  The female definitely has different feathering than the male, thus they are called sexually dimorphic.  How lucky it was to see one of these fancy feathered beauties!

Joubert's Diggins in  Winter

Damp Earth Art

This week we had sunny days and cool nights! Really hoping for more rain and snow in the near future.  Please join me in my continuing hope for precipitation! Perhaps our collective efforts may help it happen. I'm going to keep posting rain inspired writings, art, etc. on my blog at dampearthart.blogspot.com. Any submissions would be greatly appreciated.

Sierra Buttes Winter

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

What else is inhabiting the damp rocky slopes in our neighborhood,

besides the ferns, lichen, and moss?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more.

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